


Date Night

by marmolady



Series: Beyond Vaanu: Endless Ending [7]
Category: Endless Summer (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/F, wlw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2019-09-05
Packaged: 2020-10-10 11:28:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20527280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marmolady/pseuds/marmolady
Summary: Taylor and Estela are embarking on a new phase of their life… preparing to take on college, together. It’s a chance to give dating a try; a luxury the dangers of La Huerta never afforded them. It might be outside her wheelhouse, but Estela can do the whole romance thing.





	Date Night

It had been surprisingly difficult for Estela to corner her wife. Moving in to the new place, a sprawling house on the outskirts of Northbridge, had been hectic. The share house was a hive of activity, with no less than eight people taking up residence, all bringing through boxes of their lives and contributing to what was overarching chaos. After a relatively idyllic few months between San Trobida and La Huerta, to be back in the midst of the gang, and within what was a whole new world for Taylor, getting settled and re-acquainting with old friends had been in the forefront. Within the fortnight, they’d managed to pack in an impressive _four _housewarming parties. At last, though, they all adjusted to a new normal. Craig and Zahra had set up in the basement, Michelle and Quinn took the master bedroom- though Michelle had also laid claim to the tiny fourth bedroom as a study, Raj and Diego had a room each, and Estela and Taylor made their home in the airy loft. The sea of boxes, packing peanuts and bubble wrap cleared, old bonds were rekindled, and a new life began.

The house, at last, was quiet. Curled up in a beanbag, Taylor was flipping through one of her new textbooks, ‘Introductory Spanish’, whilst trying to eat her pancake stack with minimal mess. Estela looked at her wife and smiled. It wasn’t wasted on her that Taylor’s presence, there with them, ready to start college, was something of a miracle. But there she was, indeed, tucking into yet another Raj masterpiece, not a care in the world. Estela sat down on the hardwood floor, folding her legs beneath her. A flicker of a smile upon her wife’s lips told her that her proximity was welcomed.

“Taylor?”

“What can I do for you, oh, love of my life?” Taylor looked up, a spot of maple syrup threatening to drip from her chin.

Estela’s cheeks grew rosy. However many times Taylor called her that, she couldn’t help but swell with joy. Surely, that kind of thrill could never fade into normalcy. She wouldn’t let it; she knew how damn lucky she was.

“I, um…” That syrup was distracting. It was hard enough not to catch herself staring at that lovely mouth as it was. “Well, _first; _come here.” Estela leaned in close, bringing an index finger to Taylor’s chin. “You missed a bit.” She gently wiped the syrup away, then offered her finger to Taylor to suck clean. Shivers. Her breath hitched.

“Thanks,” Taylor chuckled. “These are tasty as all heck, but I don’t think it’s humanly possible to eat these things without making a mess. I’ll have to tell Raj to keep them off his fine-dining repertoire. So… aside from that, what’s up?”

“I just thought… you know this stuff isn’t exactly my forte, so just… bear with me, okay?” Estela sighed. Why did she have to be so awkward about things? It wasn’t as if she didn’t know that Taylor understood. She always had. “I wondered if you would be interested on going on a date tonight. We never really did the usual ‘dating’ thing; I never got to take you out anywhere nice, or…” She shook her head, then looked at Taylor with an apologetic smile. “You don’t have to if this is weird… I mean, we’re already married and…”

Taylor beamed and reached to take Estela’s hands in her own. “A date with you? I must be the luckiest girl in the world.” She brought a hand to her lips for a soft kiss and met her wife’s eyes. “Did you have anything in mind?”

“I thought maybe, like, a romantic dinner? Something like that?”

A warm and loving laugh as Taylor closed her eyes and nuzzled her face against Estela’s hand. _Man, she’s cute! _“Something like that sounds perfect.”

Estela jiggled happily and peppered kisses all over Taylor’s forehead and through her hair. “I can’t believe this is my life…”

“Mind-blowing, huh? Look at us, living the dream. Nice, normal-people dates, getting ready to start college… our own perfect peace. You and me.” Taylor smiled and shook her head. Maybe someday the novelty of ‘normal’ would wear off, but it wouldn’t be anytime soon. “I better dig out something nice to wear. It’s not a real date if I don’t get you all hot under the collar.”

“Oh, really? We’ll see.”

Estela’s face was already bright pink at the very thought, but Taylor said nothing, and just quietly adored her.

“I still don’t know what you’re taking the Spanish course for. You know I could teach you.”

“You? Honey, I’m not convinced you don’t just know the curse words…” Taylor sniggered, and had to hastily push her plate to safety as she was swatted hard over the head. Of course, it wasn’t true. Estela was a repository of affectionate Spanish pet names, uttered only for Taylor. The cursing? That was for everyone else. Most of the time.

“_Eres un dolor de culo, pero te amo.” _Estela stood up, leaving a kiss on the top of her lover’s head.

“Pretty sure at least some of that was rude, but I love you too.” Taylor reached out, looping an arm up around Estela’s neck, hugging her. It hadn’t gone unnoticed that Estela was pushing the boundaries of her comfort zone, for her. The care was palpable in it all. “I can’t wait for tonight.”

Estela leaned into the hug, letting herself almost be pulled off-balance. This was her chance to show she could really do the whole romance thing, sweep her girl off her feet. She was gonna absolutely kill it. “Seven,” she said, her risen confidence audible in her tone. “Be ready at seven.”

* * *

Trailing after Michelle and Quinn through the high street, Estela was feeling a little out of her depth. Dressing up for a night out was still beyond her skillset; she’d never shopped for anything beyond practicality, and didn’t have the first idea of where to start looking. All she knew was that she wanted to dress to reflect how Taylor made her feel on the inside, and that was completely beautiful. Her body was marked by various scars, but exposing her skin to Taylor had always felt easy.

To Estela’s relief, Michelle knew her way around the racks. She hung back a little, while her friend heaped garment after garment onto a ‘maybe’ pile.

“Michelle… I only need one…”

“What you _need _is to feel good in what you’re wearing. If you don’t walk out of the change room feeling like a goddess, you go right back in there and try something else. I know you think this date night is about Taylor, but it’s about you too.” She handed the collection of dresses to Estela, just forceful enough to make it known that she meant business. “I won’t accept anything less.”

Estela took her time, not wanting to incur Michelle’s wrath if she made an appearance of taking her decision too lightly. She tried a couple that didn’t quite sit right on her, one that was nice but in a colour that wasn’t to her taste. They were _quite _pretty and all, but none of the dresses were ‘parade out for Michelle and Quinn like a confident goddess’ gorgeous. The next gown was a deep red, figure-hugging, and the shining fabric exquisite to the touch. The strappy neckline gave way to an exposed back, a slit in the skirt showed just enough leg. Estela gazed at her own reflection, pondering herself. Her _tio _would fall over in shock if he saw her like this! She could count on one hand the occasions she’d dressed up. New Year’s party. Her handfasting. A fancy Valentine’s dinner during their year on La Huerta. The renewed blessing of their marriage after a year and a day. Of course, the common thread was Taylor. It would never have even occurred to Estela that she might look _nice _in a gown, but it was yet another side of her unearthed by her partner. A side she’d never had the time to find beyond the purposeful, practical exterior. To her surprise, she found herself admiring the striking woman in the mirror who stared back. It was the same old Estela, but one who’d let her guard down, exposing herself to the world. A woman who could see herself as, of all things, _sexy. _

At long last, Estela emerged. “This one.”

Looking her friend over, Michelle raised an eyebrow. “_So,_” she said, “how do you feel?”

“Actually?” Estela replied with a smile. “Pretty great.”

“Here…” Quinn gently brushed back the stray hairs that fell over Estela’s eyes. “Your face is much too pretty to be hidden.” She gave a kind and gentle laugh as her friend looked away shyly. “It’s true. And Taylor is going to be feeling like she’s scored big time.”

Estela ran her hands down her body, enjoying the feel of the supple fabric beneath her fingertips. “Thanks. Really, thanks. I wouldn’t have had a clue where to even look…”

Michelle laughed, a glint in her eye. “I could have _way _too much fun dressing you up; this isn’t exactly a chore. Just so you know, I’ve not finished with you yet… nowhere near. Next stop; shoes.”

“_What?”_

In a small boutique not too far away, Taylor ran her hands down her dress, smoothing it out as she turned in front of the mirror. This, she decided, looked nice. The shimmering little pastel blue number was definitely pretty, and boy, did it complement her eyes. Feeling properly elegant, she finished with a little twirl and looked back at her reflection over her shoulder. Perfect.

Diego whistled his approval. “Noice. My girl’s gonna get _laid!_”

“Damn straight, I’m gonna get laid.” Taylor stuck out her tongue and winked. She felt a swooping feeling in her stomach at the simple thought of bringing a smile to her wife’s face. Seven o’clock couldn’t come fast enough.

* * *

That evening, Taylor was just taming her last few flyaway hairs when there was a knock on the loft door. A grin leapt to her face. “Come in!”

There was a low creak of wood as Estela pushed the door open tentatively, stepping into the space that had become their home, their sanctuary.

Taylor’s mouth fell open when she looked around. “_Sweet jesus!”_

“Hey.”

“Hey.” It was a challenge to talk through a smile that refused to be repressed- such was her wife’s hold over her, but Taylor persevered. “Estela… you look just… stunning. Really, really stun-… you’re… _everything.”_

Estela had blushed a deep shade of red at the moment she laid eyes on her wife. She glanced to the side, bashful, but her self-consciousness fell away quickly; she was too caught up in the sight of Taylor, sparkling with joy before her. _She’d _put that smile on Taylor’s face, and knowing that was the best gift she could ever receive.

“Wow. You…” Estela trailed off, feeling like she could just burst with happiness. Wonderful though the feeling was, it did make her somewhat inarticulate. “I… you… _goddammit Taylor! _How the hell do you still do this to me? I can’t even…” And then she just laughed, and let herself pulled into her lover’s arms. “I love you so freaking much…”

“I love you so freaking much too.”

Finally getting a grip on herself, Estela said, “You look beautiful tonight. You really do.” She took Taylor’s hand in her own, and brought it to her lips for a kiss. “If you’re ready, I’ve got a table booked for us. Do you wanna…?”

“I’d love to.”

It was a short drive to the restaurant, an upscale place in the centre of town. Glancing over the other diners in their finest, Taylor was quietly glad she’d dressed up for the occasion.

“It’s a bit fancy,” Estela said, almost apologetically, “but the food’s meant to be really good. I know you’ve been kinda spoiled by Raj, so there was a standard to hold up.”

As a waiter showed the pair to their table, Taylor rested a hand on Estela’s back, warm and familiar. Walking with her made her feel as though she was on top of the world, confident to take on whatever lay before them, be it a squad of mercenaries armed to the back teeth… or a swanky restaurant.

Seated across the way from a roaring fire that crackled pleasantly against the sounds of glasses chinking and polite chatter, Taylor and Estela clasped one another’s hands in the middle of the table, drawn as if by a magnet, one all too powerful to fight. Food ordered quickly, neither could look away, the eye contact tender, brimming with affection.

Estela gently rubbed a thumb over the bridge of her wife’s knuckles. “How are you feeling about college? It’s come around so fast…”

“I think I’m ready,” Taylor said. “It’s a little bit crazy really; I’m finally fulfilling my backstory.”

“Huh, I never thought about it that way, but I guess you’re right. I’m just relieved all the paperwork held up, seeing as neither of us are _actually _meant to be there.”

Taylor laughed and leaned in closer. Estela seemed to glow in the candlelight, and it was impossible to resist her. But she could see apprehension in those mesmerising eyes. “It’s gonna be different this time. You might actually enjoy it.”

“If I’m with you, I will,” Estela murmured. She couldn’t help but smile; trust Taylor to see right through her. “I wasn’t exactly focused on study last time around; I was just going through the motions. A means to an end.” Her brow furrowed. How much she’d actually retained from her college years remained to be seen; it had been so unimportant in all ways except for inching her ever-closer to Rourke. But what she was left with was the foundations she was supposed to build a life with. Had choices made, of little importance at the time, actually set her towards a future she might actually want? There was a certain draw to starting over… after all, Taylor would also be beginning from scratch. “It’s not as if I was expecting to finish my degree, let alone _use _it for anything. I still don’t know where I’m going, but wherever it is… it feels nice not to be going there alone.”

“Yeah… I don’t think you’ll be the only one seeing things differently than before. Apparently, it’s a common side effect of mad death-defying adventures…”

“If you think La Huerta was scary, wait ‘til you see some of these sororities. Death-defying? I’d take Cetus over one of their parties any day of the week.”

Taylor grinned. “See, look at that- you’re joking! _Oh, my love…_ you’ve grown so much. I think I’m gonna cry- my Estela with a sense of humour… wait ‘til I tell Jake!”

“Shut up, Taylor!” But Estela couldn’t stop herself from giggling. She playfully nudged Taylor’s foot under the table, which turned to a loving caress. How did she do this to her? “I always had a sense of humour. That idiot pilot’s jokes are just crap.”

Rolling her eyes, Taylor returned the gesture, gentle enough so as to not incite a game of footsies. It _was _a posh place they were in after all. “But what matters is that this time, you’ve got friends to muddle through college with. If all else fails, you can just drag me along to all your lectures and we’ll make out in the back of the theatre.”

“That doesn’t sound conducive to learning.”

“But at least I know I’m good at that.” Taylor took a deep breath. She could joke around all night, or she could be real with Estela. “I know I’m a fairly intelligent and capable person; I’ve proved it again and again. Being good at navigating an island of nightmares doesn’t necessarily translate to book smarts. I don’t even know _what _I want to study. The only real dreams and passions I have are, well, _people_. The people I care about.”

Estela frowned, concern suddenly lining her face. “I… didn’t know you’d been worrying about that.”

“That’s probably because I keep pushing it down, hoping it’ll go away.” Taylor winced. “I’m sorry; it’s just been this tiny, stupid little niggle, so I didn’t want to offload and make _you _worry unnecessarily.”

“Well, we’re talking now. And now that I know I don’t need to worry; do you think I can help in any way? I’m not exactly an expert in these things- more like the opposite, but…”

“No, go ahead with the advice. I’d honestly appreciate it.”

“Okay… I think all you need to do is try; see what makes you happy. We’re not exactly gonna be strapped for cash- it doesn’t matter if there’s a well-paying job at the end of all this, and you can take as long to work it all out as you need. For what it’s worth, I think ‘people’ is kind of what you’re good at. There’s got to be a something that will put that to good use.”

Taylor gazed into her partner’s deep, dark eyes as they appeared to flicker in the candlelight. The earnest belief in her was plain to see. A soft smile played at her mouth.

“What?” Estela asked.

“I’m just feeling very, very fond of you right now.”

“I see.” Estela’s cheeks took on a deeper glow.

In that moment, their share platter arrived, disturbing the moment.

“Wow. That’s quite a spread,” Taylor said, her eyes wide.

Estela offered her a forkful. “Don’t worry, _novia_. We’re not fancy; we can take home a doggy bag.”

With a quiet giggle, Taylor took a bite, lingering to nibble her wife’s fingers. “Mmm… that’s _good._”

“What? Me or…?”

“You are most definitely delicious. And the food’s not bad either.” She winked exaggeratedly, delighting in making Estela splutter with laughter. Delectable as the food might be, it paled next to the pleasure of the company Taylor was enjoying it with.

* * *

With a rumble, Estela’s car pulled up at their next destination.

Blind-folded and feeling pleasantly full after an exquisite meal, Taylor was brimming with curiosity. “Right, so can I take this off now?” she asked, reaching up towards her face, only to have her hand nicely but firmly pulled back down.

“Hold your horses. I’ve just gotta set a few things up.”

Taylor strained her ears as Estela bustled around outside the car, until her door was opened, and she felt a strong hand on her shoulder. The sound of gentle music filled her ears.

“Okay,” Estela said, “step carefully and lean in to me. I’ve got you.”

A few brief moments of awkward stumbling later, Taylor felt the blindfold taken away. They were in some wooded park, almost hauntingly still in the clear night. Fairy lights shone all around, draped through low-hanging branches. At the base of a tree, a blanket had been laid out, lit by an ornate lantern. There on a plate, a decadent crème brulee bordered by shards of honeycomb sat enticingly; beside it, a portable stereo piped out a slow song. More than anything, Taylor was struck by the peace of it all. The town, only some twenty minutes’ drive away, might as well be a distant dream.

“Oh, it’s so pretty…” Taylor breathed.

Estela drew Taylor nearer, leading her down onto the blanket, where they settled, legs tucked beneath them and huddled close. “I thought you might like to get out somewhere that you could really relax. I had the restaurant give us dessert in a takeaway box; I think they almost died of shock, but I’d rather make you comfortable than be classy any day of the week.”

“It feels like I’ve stumbled into a magic garden.” Taylor pressed a delicate kiss to her wife’s cheek, feeling the joy Estela felt just in making her happy. “Wait- is that a _cassette player?_”

Estela nodded, a shy smile across her face. “A little while back, you told me ‘a mixtape is always more romantic than a playlist’. So…”

With a little laugh, Taylor reached for her love’s hand. “Do you remember every little thing I say?”

“_Every little thing_,” Estela confirmed, her eyes shining with affection. “In my experience, you say what I most need to hear.”

Taylor’s cheeks grew rosy, even in the moonlight. “I hope I do.” She gazed into Estela’s face, admiring her, knowing that the understanding between them, the caring that needn’t be spoken, was right there, captured in the heartfelt look they shared.

There was no other sound, just the soft crooning of tender love songs to break up the stillness of the night_. _The words stirred Taylor’s heart as Estela lovingly caressed her face.

_“I think of you every morning_

_Dream of you every night_

_Darling, I'm never lonely_

_Whenever you are in sight”_

Both women let their eyes flutter closed, and their lips came together slowly in a kiss, sweet and sensual, lingering as though there could be no more sacred expression of reverence to one another.

_“I love you for sentimental reasons_

_I hope you do believe me_

_I've given you my heart”_

Estela came away light-headed. She knew she’d done it; she’d actually pulled off the perfect romantic evening. Everything she’d needed Taylor to feel from her, the depth of her devotion… the knowing look in Taylor’s eyes as she gazed, half-lidded, as if seeing right into Estela’s soul, it said it all.

“So,” Estela whispered, “do you still have room for dessert?”

The quiet was nice. A welcome change from the constant stream of voices that came with moving in to a house with six of your friends- especially when one of the friends was Craig. Having licked the last sugary remains from her lips, Taylor put her head on Estela’s shoulder, and she looked up to the stars. The constellations of the Hadean Zodiac were nowhere to be found. No Centaurus, no Canis, no Delphinus, no Serpens…

“I used to find it comforting,” she said quietly, her eyes still roaming the endless skies, “looking at the stars, seeing our constellations. It made me feel like we were living a shared destiny, something bigger than all of us. Now, they’re beautiful, but the stars are just stars.”

“This is just the beginning, Taylor. You left your ‘chained woman’ behind. New stars for a new life. You get to decide what they mean to you. It’s… okay for you to be scared. Maybe I am too.” A dry laugh shook Estela’s shoulders. “You know I never planned for any of this; finishing school, actually thinking about some kind of a career. This isn’t… this isn’t gonna be the same as La Huerta; soon enough, we’ll all start going our separate ways. But deep down, I know I’ll never be alone again… and neither will you. We’ll work it out; together.”

Taylor felt warm breath against her mouth as she closed the distance between Estela’s full, slightly-parted lips and her own. She sighed into the kiss; it started soft, then it deepened… her pulse racing as she surrendered entirely to the feel of those lips… she couldn’t even hear the music anymore, not over the sound of her own heart thundering in her ears.

“Mmmm…” Estela trailed her fingers down Taylor’s body, taking the time to savour every inch of her, the bunching of fabric beneath her hand. She roamed further, fingertips brushing up Taylor’s thigh, stroking between her legs. “Is this okay?” she whispered into the soft skin of her wife’s neck.

Taylor responded with a rumbling murmur of pleasure as she pressed herself against Estela’s fingers. “Definitely, _definitely _okay.”

Even as she felt herself dizzying at the touch, Taylor explored her wife’s body with her hands, one reaching to caress her scarred face, the other drifting beneath the silky fabric of the dress, making good use of the revealing slit up Estela’s thigh.

All the while, their eyes were locked, their mouths touching, shuddering breaths exchanged. Every tiniest reaction, each quiver and gasp seen and felt, driving the need for more, to simply be lost in one another. As they reached their high together, Estela dropped her forehead against Taylor’s, eyes squeezed closed, clasping her tight as they both struggled to catch their breath.

Taylor cupped Estela’s face, lifting her chin. She smiled as their eyes met. Words didn’t seem big enough, but they’d have to do. “I love you,” she murmured.

“I love you, too.”

The cassette ran to a stop, and then there was no sound but for that of two lovers happily breathing in sync. A slight chill hung in the air; summer was nearing its inevitable end.

Estela rested her head on Taylor’s shoulder. The night had flown by, as the good times always seemed to. When she had Taylor in her arms, time might as well stand still, for there was nothing else. “Turns out I can do romance, hey?”

“If my heart fluttered any more, I think it would have killed me,” Taylor responded, unable to hold back a giggle. “You know I’m gonna have to pay you back for this, though. I’m not about to let you get away with being the cute one in our relationship. I’ve already got plans for a mixtape… I’ll call it ‘songs that give me Estela-related warm fuzzies’. You will cry.”

“Pfft. You wish.”

“Tonight has been… beautiful,” Taylor said, her voice suddenly quiet, utterly sincere. She knew what this had meant to Estela. “Really. I know it’s simple, the kind of thing people take for granted, but this has been an actual dream come true. So, thank you, Estela.”

Estela’s smirk softened, and she nudged her head against Taylor’s. “It was my pleasure. We’ll do it again sometime soon, I promise. I’m not ever gonna let you forget how much you mean to me. Not ever.”

How could Taylor ever forget? She snuck in one more kiss before getting to her feet, ready to snuggle the rest of the night away in their new bed. “I said ‘I love you’ already, didn’t I?”

“Once or twice. And I love you.” Estela reached for Taylor’s hand. Their date was over, but their night was still young. She had a way of making things happen when she put her mind to them… and something told her that Taylor’s heart wasn’t done fluttering quite yet. Not by a long shot.


End file.
